Radiator shutter



l and the closed positions.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlca EDWARD A. MOLLER, or BALTIMOREMARYLAND. A

RADIATOR sHU'rTEa.

. Application led May 5, 1921. Serial No. 467,083.

To all whom t may concern: i

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. MoLLER, a citizen of the United States ofAme'rica, residing in the city of Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new .and

useful Improvements in Radiator Shutters* of which the following is a specification.

The use of radiator shutters 'to regulate the draft which passes over the cooling surface of the radiators of automobiles and similar machines is well understood. Such shutters are stock equipment supplied with certain makes of automobiles. These shutters are ordinarily suppliedwith actuating means by which they may be opened and closed from the dash or some point within the convenient reach of the driver. Such controlling mechanism is ordinarily so ar-.

ran ed that the shutters as a whole may be hel various points 'of adjustment whereby 'the opening may be varied between the full open As a certain Aamount of cooling of the water near the top of the radiator' is desirable to assist in circulation, particularly in thermosyphon systems and further in view of the fact that excess cooling and freezing ifthey occur, take'place first at the bottom of the radiator or in the bottom radiator connection so that it is desirable to cut off the air draft, the

, applicant has arranged his shutter plates in a Series of sections or groups which groups are arranged one above the other and' for convenience and also on' account of the principle already 4stated these sections lare connected to a single actuating means which operates them successively closing first the bottom section, then the next and so on to the top of the radiator and until the entire shutter is closed and opening them in the `inverse order. These different adjustments provide for different atmospheric temperatures and for at different angles so that there are the i i F ig. 2 is a Section on the line 2, 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3, 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig 4 is 'a detail showing the preferred manner of securing `the control Irod at the driver or operators end.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 5,5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6, 6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings by numerals I have illustrated a radiator shell 1, to which are secured aty each side upright channels 2, which may be of L-.shaped cross section as illustrated, particularly in Fig. 5, that is one of the side webs may be elongated and flanged though this is not of great importance, the main object being to provide a support for the ends of the pins or journals 3 of the. shutter slats or plates 6. These journals are formed on the endsof rods extending horizontally across the radiator .preferably being set just to the rear ofthe front 5 of the shell. As shown each rod carries a plate or shutter slat 6, the rods or pivots being spaced by a distance little less than the width of the plates which latter as shown are bent or turned' about the rodsl at their rear or pivot edges or otherwise secured thereto at 7, the front or-swnging edges 8 being preferably secured thereto at 7, the front or swinging edges 8 being preferably` and as shown'bent to the circumference of the rods for any preferred arc asillustrated, l the same being approximately 90 so the swinging edges of each plate lit closely against and' about the pivot rod-of the next p ate.

In the form of the invention shown there are fifteen plates o r shutter slats 6, which are divided into three groups of live each, each plate or slat 6 having secured thereto an actuating arm 9 at right angles to the surface ofthe plate which arm extends to the rear when the shutter is closed. In the vfive plates at A.the bottom. rIhe respective groups are made up by pivotally connecting the arms 9 of the respective plates of each group to a single link, that is, the arms 9 of the plates or-shutter heads 10 are pivotally connected to a link 13. The arms 9 ot i link 14 and the arms 9 of the the shutter slats or plates 1'1 (see Fig. 3)

` ltively. Each of the bell crank levers 19,

and 21 is pivoted at its axis on a corresponding stud 22, 23, 24, each of which studs pass through corresponding slots 25, 26, 27' in a sliding rod 28, the latter two short slots being in the present form of the invention. drawn so that they form a single slot 26, 27 but this is a mechanical expedient of little importance from an inventive standpoint.

The studs 22, 23, 24 are seated at convenient supporting pointsY in the radiator shell or in supporting means provided for that purpose. The slots 25, 26, 27 provide for a vertical motion ofthe sliding rod or plate 28 on and relatively to the studs which guide and support it, the vertical motion of the plate `is in 'the form of the invention shown accomplished by means of a bell crank 30 pivoted at its vertex or axis 31 on a suit-able support which may be connected to the radiator shell, this bell crank lever is provided with a slot 32 at the end of its horizontal arm which engages a pin 33 just above the center of the plate 28 and the vertical arm of the bell crank leveris pivotally connected at its lower or swinging eX- tremity to the forward end ot the cont-roller or actuating rod 35. It is evident that by thrust-ing the rod 35 forward which may be done from the dash, the bell crank lever 3() is rotated in left hand phase, the plate 23 'being depressed and that by drawing the rod 35 backward the plate 28 is raised and that as shown the plate 28 is slight-ly below mid position. The closing of shutter plates or slats 6 in the groups 10, 11 and -12 is accomplished through the respective, bell cranks 19, 20 and 21 and the links 13, 14 and 15 by the engagement of the respective followers 36, 37, 38 mounted at the swinging ends of the respective bell crank levers 19, 20, 21 vand voperating in the slots 25, 26 and 27, it being understood that the links 13, 14 and'15 are connected to what may be termed the horizontal arms of the bell crank levers 19, 20 rand 21. t t t It will be noted that the slots 25, 26, 27 beyond the'rectilineal vertical Vportions of said slots, occupied by the studs 22, 23 and 24, are deflected. The inclined portions 40,

41 and 42 of the said slots have a cam action in connection with said followers. lt

will also be noted that while the upper bell cranks 19 and 2() have ltheir vertical arms depending, the lowerbell crank 21 has its vertical arm upright. It will also be noted that the slidin plate which may be referred to as a cam p ate 28 havingl beenfpartially` raised', the loiver set 12 of shutterplates is in closed or vertical position, the roller 38 having passed through the inclined portion 42 of the slot 28. -The second set of plates 11 is in horizontal or open position, the roller 37 being at the upper end of the inclined portion of the slot 26 and that the cam action asA to the lever 20 will take place immediately if the plate 28 be moved up lwardly and that the follower 36 of the bell crank 19 is the `straight portion of the slot 25 spaced back a considerable distance from the inclined portion 40 of the slot 25 so that it will not enter thisl inclined portion until the follower 37 has passed through the inclined portion of the slot 26. In other words, in the, operation of the device, as the rod 35 is withdrawn the bottom set of plates is first closed and when it is completely closed the middle set of plates is closed and when the middle set of plates is ycompletely closed and the rod 35- is further withdrawn the top set of plates is closed or moved into spring plate 45 formin the end of the hori-v zontal arm of each be crank lever 19, 20

and 21, the eye at 'the end of the arm which engages the corresponding connecting .rod

16, 17, 18 being formed on said spring plate. In the form shown the arms of the bell crank levers are slotted .at 46 to receive the plate, the end of the slot 47 being shaped to receive andfit the' pla-te which may be held by `bolts or rivets 48.` ylFhe spring plate is so arranged as to be oppositely deflected at the two ends of the swing of the bell crank lever A to take up all lost motion iin the mechanism and prevent rattling; A provision for preventing the rattle due to looseness of the pins is shown in Figs. 5

and 6 in the form of aspring wire 50, one I mechanism to, rattle when the links are open. They also have a toggle effect lock'- ing the shutter in open and closed position.

Springs 45 Vare, under tension at each end of the swing. The channels are formed with stops 62 limitin the throw of the connecting rods or lin, s.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated the end of the .controller or actuating rod adjacent the operator. As shown the end of this rod is flattened andpslotted at 52, the slot being engaged 'by' a bolt and thumb nut 53 and the end ofthev rod being preferably flattened and rounded in a p-lane at right angles to the rod and knurled for convenience' of manual engagement, the same being indicated by reference character 54.

I have thus described specifically and in detail a single embodiment of my invention in order that the nature and operation of the same may be clearly understood. However the specific terms herein are used in a descriptive lrather than in a limitlng sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims. Y

What I claim and desire to secure by `Letters'latent is l. In a radiator shutter, swinging shutter slats and operating means therefor including a spring arm having stops thereon to limit the play of the spring.

2. In a radiator shutter in combination, a series of swinging plates mounted to open and close and means for moving them Jfrom open to closed position and vice versa, the same comprising a plurality of members. the

plates being divided into a corresponding number of groups of adjacent plates and means connecting each of the plates of each group to the Said corresponding member, a plurality `of operating members, one for each said group and a means for actuating saidy operating members successively.

3. In a radiator shutter in combination, a series of Swinging plates mounted to open and close and means for moving them from open to closed position and vice versa, the same comprising a plurality of members, the plates beingv divided into a corresponding number, of groups of adjacent plates and means for connecting each of the plates of each group to the said corresponding member and -a plurality of operating members, one for each said group and means for operating said members successively whereby the respective groups of plates from the bottom to the top areclosed successively and opened in reverse order.

4. A radiator 'shutter composed of a series l of plates-mounted to move from open to closed position, opening and l closing the draft passage, throughthe radiator, said series of plates comprising a plurality of groups'covering successive areas of the cross section of the draft passage from the bottom to the top of the same, means connecting the plates of each group 4toI operate simultaneously and operating means connected to each said means for operating the I groups successively and a single controller for said operating means.

5. A'radiator shutter composed of a sel ries of plates mounted to move from open to closed position opening and closing the draft passagel through the radiator, the said vseries of plates comprising a plurality of groups covering successive areas of the cross section of the draft passage from the bottom to the top of the same, means connecting Vthe plates of each group to operate simultaneously and .operating means connected to each said means for operating the groups successively and a single controller for said operating means, the operating mea-ns consisting of a bell crank lever for-each group, a cam member having cam surfaces to engage each of said bell crank levers and means for moving said cam member to cause the respective cam surfaces to engage said bell crank levers successively.

6. A radiator shutter composed of a series of pla-tes mounted to move fromr open to closed position, opening and closing the draft passage through the radiator, saidseries of plates comprising a plurality* of groups covering successive areas of the cross section of the draft passage from the bottom to the top ofv the same, means connecting the plates of each group to operate simultaneously and operating means connected to each said means for operating the groups successively and a single controller for said operating means, said operating means including a plurality of swinging levers, one connected to each group, said levers each having a springarm which is under tension at each end of its swing.

7. In a radiator shutter in'combination, swinging-shutter slats, lmeans connecting the same in groups to move simultaneously and operating means for actuating the groups of plates to move successively and a single controller therefor.

8. In a radiator shutter in combination, swinging shutter slats, means connecting the same in groups to move simultaneously and operating means for actuating the groups of plates to move successively and -a single controller there-for, said actuating means consisting of a lever for each groupa sliding cam member having a cam suri'ace for each said group, each said respective cam surface being arranged to engage the corre-- member having a` cam surface for each said group, said means engagmg each said cam surface and connected to the corresponding group. the operation of said engaging means and cam surfaces being successive 1n predetermined order,

10. In a radiator shutter in combinatiom,

swinging shutter slats, means connectmg the same in groups, operating means for actuating the groups or plates to move successively and a single controller therefor, said actuating means consistingof sliding cam member having aA cam surface for eac 1 said group, means engaging each said cam surface and connected to the corresponding group, Ithe operation of said engaging means and cam surfaces being successive in prede.

termined order and means in the form of a bell crank lever and connecting rod for moving| said member.

1-1. A radiator shutter having a series of swinging plates yarranged in a plurality of groups, means for each group connecting the plates in that. group to move simultanev successively including a lever for each group having a spring arm which is under tension in both the open and closed positions of the shutter, said lever also including means for limiting the flexing of the spring arm, said means being in the form of jaws enclosing the spring.

13. A radiator shuttervhav-ing a series of swinging plates, actuating means for swinging the plates including means for connecting the plates together and'a swinging lever having each side of the arm to limit the play of the a spring arm and two stops one on arm .in both directions whereby the said ,l

members are kept under tension for preventing rattling.

14. ll'n a radiator shutter, a support swinging shutter members, means for actuating the samev and an anti-rattling device for each shutter member consisting of a coil wire spring, the coil encircling a portion of the shutter member and the ends bearing against the support.

15. In a radiator shutter in combination, a series of swinging shutter members mounted to open and close, means for moving them from open to closed position and vice versa, anti-rattling means controlling the said shutter members, and said opening and closing means including a lever having a resilient yielding arm.

Signed by me at Baltimore, Maryland, this 25th day of April, 1.921.

EDWARD A. MULLER.

Witnesses:

PORTER H. FLAn'rr, FREDRICA HOFFMANN. 

